Google is without doubt the most renowned internet search engine in the world today, largely because it is a free service. This free service, being offered by Google Inc., launched in 1998, and has grown to become more than just a search engine. What started as a search engine is now an entity comprised of a plethora of free internet services for whoever has access to the internet.
Now, Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is home to YouTube, Gmail, Picasa, Google+, and Google Maps (among many), all of which enjoy millions of users every day from all over the world. The most recent addition to this list is Google Earth, a software that allows users to navigate any part of the planet (covered by the service) without any charge.
Google Earth is a mapping tool that covers the terrain of planet Earth in much greater detail than any other software currently existent in the world today. The service initially took its roots in the Google Maps program, but vowed to take the mapping dimension many steps further to provide users features that no other mapping software provides.
With Google Earth, users can not only see the terrain of the world, but also get a three-dimensional view of them. The software also allows users to get the dimensions (very accurately) of the buildings that they are viewing, and print the images in HD. Users can also record a video of their journey on the mapping software, either for research or presentational purposes, to name a few.
In a recent announcement made by Google, it was revealed that Google Earth would now be available to the general public, for free. Previously, the software entailed with it a price tag of $400 per annum, a sort of renewable subscription fee for the service. Now, the service is available free of cost.
Google makes most of its revenue through advertisements. Youtube seems to be one great source of revenue for the company, as the video streaming website allows for video advertisements (which are the most expensive ones). By allowing video advertisements to stream on the website, Google is able to let run the service without any charge whatsoever. As ads alone are able to bear the burden that the running of the service entails, there appears no reason to charge any further for the services that Youtube has to offer to the general public.
Hence, industry experts are of the opinion that Google Earth might face the same strategic direction that Google has taken Youtube. Previously, the software carried with it no ads whatsoever, due to its desktop mode functionality. However, one way Google can go about monetizing on Google Earth now (as it is a free service) is by running ads on the same. As users must connect to the internet to run the service anyway, running ads on the same may not be a difficult strategy to implement.
However, Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) is running some free services that carry no ads on them. One major example is Gmail, Google’s very own mailing service that is one of the most popular ones in the world. Hence, according to experts, Google Earth may remain ad-free as well, as it becomes the latest addition in the free Google services family.
